07 December 2023 , 23:04
1028
0
Jordan Pickford found himself at the centre of a furious bust-up between Everton and Newcastle's players following their Premier League clash at Goodison Park.
Pickford's Everton won the game 3-0 on Thursday, sending shockwaves around the top flight as the Toffees moved out of the relegation zone for the first time since their controversial 10-point deduction. Shortly after the full-time whistle, former Sunderland goalkeeper Pickford got involved in a ruckus when team-mate James Tarkowski and Newcastle midfielder Joelinton continued their row from during the match.
Magpies star Bruno Guimaraes was then spotted pointing in the face of Pickford, clearly irked by the Everton No.1 as security promptly intervened. After as many as 13 men joined the commotion and England international Pickford was eventually led away by his team-mates after going head-to-head with Newcastle's Fabian Schar.
Joelinton wasn't keen to back down and it was only when the away side's coaching staff got involved that the Brazilian was dragged aside. As a proud ex-Sunderland player, Pickford's knee-sliding celebration in front of Newcastle's supporters could well have infuriated the visitors.
Magpies manager Eddie Howe was asked about incident post-match and replied: "I've got no idea what it was about - I think it was just emotions running high after the game."
Everton chiefs face transfer backlash from fans after deadline day disaster
Everton boss Sean Dyche, meanwhile, was able to revel in his side's much-deserved victory, telling BBC Radio 5 Live : "Without those 10 points [deducted], we'd be in an amazing position - 20 points [after 15 games] would be amazing relative to the last two seasons here.
"We'll see what the appeal [against the Premier League's decision] brings. The mentality is key for me, we took a knock but there have been a lot of knocks here over the last couple of years. But the team mentality is growing. I can't emphasise it enough, the commitment to each other and the connection is a powerful thing because I know we've got quality."
Get involved! Will Everton survive relegation this season? Give us your prediction in the comments section.
Jordan Pickford and Bruno Guimaraes went at it (Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)For Howe, there's plenty to think about as Newcastle continued their struggles on the road. "The game was there for us to win in the second half," he admitted. "The first half was even and we had them penned in in the second half. We conceded the first goal and it changed the momentum of the match. Frustrating and a chance missed."